This invention relates to structural elements that can be used to repair and/or protect a structural member such as a damaged joist or beam and/or be used to protect such members.
Although various advanced materials have been produced, a large amount of residential and commercial construction, both interior and exterior, still utilizes wooden joists and beams. Unfortunately, one of the problems structural members such as wooden joists and beams in an exterior environment, is that they are susceptible to damage from decay and rot, particularly such damage caused by or linked with moisture.
Although there are preservative treatments available for wood, the extra cost for such treated wood is high. Furthermore, the treatment itself will have a limited lifetime, and eventually even a structural member made from treated wood will start to rot or decay. Furthermore, most of the wooden joists and beams currently installed in buildings today have wooden members that are untreated.
For structural members such as joists and beams, an area that is particularly susceptible to rot and decay caused by moisture is the top of the joist or beam. It is there where moisture tends to become trapped between the top of the joist or beam and the structure or components that are being supported by the structural member (for example, a deck). Moisture is unable to easily drain away from between the top of the joist or beam and the bottom of the supported structure. However, often only a limited top portion of a beam or joist is in a damaged condition. Nevertheless, when replacing a deck or other supported feature, one will usually have to replace an entire beam or joist, which may only be damaged on the upper portion.
Another cause of damage to the top of joists or beams that support a deck, occurs when the top decking must be replaced. In removing the decking material, it is quite common for the process to cause damage to the underlying beams and joists as the deck material is pried or disengaged from its supporting beams and joists. The result is joist/beam repair or replacement is commonly needed before a new deck material is placed down on the joists and beams.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an efficient means of repairing and protecting a structural member such as a joist or beam. Also, it is desirable to provide an efficient way of reducing the risk of wooden structural members being damaged, either by water or other ways in the first place, by protecting these members from the time they are first installed.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a structural element for use with a structural member, said element comprising: a longitudinally extending body with an upper surface and a lower surface, and with a pair of opposed, spaced apart, downwardly depending flanges extending below said lower surface; said upper surface of said longitudinally extending body being generally flat, and said lower surface and said flanges being configured to be positioned above an area of a structural member; said side flanges being adapted to be secured to sides of said structural member.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a structural combination of a structural member and a structural element, said structural element comprising: a longitudinally extending body having an upper surface and a lower surface, and having opposed, spaced apart, downwardly depending side flanges extending below said lower surface; said structural element configured such that said lower surface is positioned above a first surface area of a structural member, said structural member having a pair of opposed side surfaces proximate said first surface area and each said side surface being oriented downward from said first surface area; said side flanges of said structural element being configured to be and being secured with one or more attachment members to the side surfaces of said structural member.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of repairing a damaged member with a repair element, said damaged member having an upper surface that is at least partially damaged, and two opposed sides, said repair element comprising: a longitudinally extending body having an upper surface and a lower surface, and having a pair of opposed, spaced apart, downward depending flanges extending below said lower surface; said upper surface of said longitudinally extending body being generally flat, and said lower surface being adapted to be positioned above said damaged member; said side flanges being adapted to be secured to the sides of said damaged member; said method comprising the steps of: (a) placing said repair element in a position where said lower surface of said repair element is over the upper surface of said damaged member, with a flange of said repair element being positioned adjacent to each side surface of said damaged member; (b) securing said flanges of said repair element to the sides of said damaged member.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of protecting a structural member with a structural element, said structural member having an upper surface and two opposed side surfaces, said structural element comprising: a longitudinally extending body having an upper surface and a lower surface, and having a pair of opposed, spaced apart, downward depending flanges extending below said lower surface; said lower surface being configured to be positioned to above a surface of said structural member; said side flanges being adapted to be secured to a side surface of said structural member; said method comprising the steps of: (a) placing said structural element in a position where said lower surface of said structural element is in an opposed relation to said surface of said structural member and with each flange of said structural element being adjacent to a side surface of said structural member, such that said lower surface is above said surface of said structural member; (b) securing said flanges to the side surfaces of said structural member to secure said structural element to said structural member.